U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a pivot in relations with Venezuela by referring to Edmundo Gonzalez, the opposition leader candidate from Venezuela’s presidential election in July, as president-elect. 

The acknowledgment is a strong switch in relations between the United States and Venezuela. It is the first time that Blinken or the U.S. has publicly admitted they felt President Nicolas Maduro lost the election and that Gonzalez was the rightful winner. Blinken debuted the new title and recognition for Gonzalez in a post on X on Tuesday.